Lily Brya

Mrs. Seymour

Sr. English

Nov. 16, 2021

For Better or Worse

As people live their lives, they will encounter many things. That may be things like:

challenges, success, or conflicts. Some may face these hurdles alone or together, whether that

may be with a relative, significant other, or a friend. If one decides to tackle these challenges

together, they should keep in mind that it may change their relationship (for better or worse).

John Knowles displays a relationship that faced almost everything together in the novel “A

Separate Peace.” It takes place at a New England boarding school called Devon in the state of

New Hampshire. During the years of 1942 and 1943, two teen boys who attended this school

would face many things together that would affect their relationship. Would this be for the better

of their relationship? John Knowles will answer this with the literary element, conflict.

Firstly, these two teens were learning and training to become candidates for the Draft, but

their friendship would also be challenged while they attended Devon school. In friendships,

friends may become jealous of one another. Perhaps it’s because they (the one who is jealous)

desire an item, person, or lifestyle that they have. Developing jealousy is a common thing to

occur in any relationship. Why? Well, the person may envy the other who manages to possess

that thing or someone before the other could possess such a thing which may lead to jealousy.

Jealousy is when one is sour to another’s success or life while they may still be working to meet

their goals and/or dreams. As for the two teen boys, Gene and Finny, jealousy had put their
friendship at stake. Finny and Gene were attending a party hosted by their substitute professor,

Mr.Prud’homme. During the party, Finny was striking a conversation with Mr.Prud’homme.

While this was happening, Gene was observing from a distance and had come to a realization

that, “Phineas got away with anything” (Knowles 9). This could come off irritating to others

when they have a friend or someone that seems to never get in trouble; however, Gene states “I

couldn’t help envying him that a little..” (Knowles 9). Gene also says that there is no harm in

envying your best friend; little did he know that wasn’t the case for his relationship with Finny.

While the jealousy only evolved in Gene, it had affected his perception of his friend. Gene thinks

“Finny had deliberately set out to wreck my studies” ( Knowles 24) . For example, Finny pulls

Gene away from his study time by playing a game or attending meetings for a secret club which

were both created by Finny. Gene acknowledged that the two of them will never become

competition because Finny and Gene are equal in the sense of them being the elites (Finny being

the elite athlete and Gene the elite student). Gene couldn’t help but catch himself “slipping back

in affection to him again” (Knowles 25).

In addition to Gene’s mixed feelings towards his friend, Finny, an unfortunate event

occured. One night Finny begged Gene to come out to the tree and jump off of it to start the

meeting for their secret club. Although this wasn’t the first time they would be jumping from the

tree, it had equal excitement. Finny addressed Gene with demeanor as if he was an Englishman

saying “Arise (he began airily),Senior Overseer Charter Member! Elwin ‘Leper’ Lepellier has

announced his intention to make the leap this very night” (Knowles 26). Gene caved in and the

two of them headed out that night to go to the tree. This was different compared to the others. It

was a tree that had a “limb extending over the river” (Knowles 3) on Devon campus. Finny and

Gene were preparing to jump off the limb but Finny had the idea to jump off together. Gene was
“holding firmly to the trunk, [and] took a step toward him” (Knowles 28). But before Gene had

the chance to leap with Finny, he noticed his knees jounced causing the limb to move. Within

seconds, he saw Finny descend through the branches and make “a sickening, unnatural thud.”

After watching his friend smack the bank because he jounced and caused Finny to lose balance,

his sense of fear vanished (Knowles 25). Later that night, Gene would discover Finny had an

awful break and that Finny will no longer be able to play sports (Knowles 30). While Finny’s

athletic career is finished, Gene will also be suffering because of the amount of guilt that

contaminates his conscience. When Finny returned to Devon, Finny had the idea that he would

train Gene to become the next elite athlete in the school. Gene had agreed to train with Finny

because he thought that was the least he could do since he felt like it was his doing of ending

Finny’s athletic career.

Nevertheless, after some of many major difficulties that challenged the strength of Gene’s

and Finny’s bond, this final test would be the reason as to why they experienced these events all

because of Devon. Devon was preparing boys for a war but it wasn’t a battle they were prepping

the boys for. The war was a piece in everyone’s life that will be experienced but it will be in

different ways. On contrarier, the challenge will all have a similar lesson. This lesson is: your life

experiences are what forms you in the person that will later on be challenged with worldly

events. These events will test your strength physically, mentally, emotionally, and logically. It's a

test on whether or not you used your experiences in a positive way that built your stamina. It also

questions whether or not you have made peace with yourself from all the things you’ve done.

With all being said, was everything they went through for better or worse? Gene’s time

with Finny and in Devon, he experienced things that cost him his best friend. Gene lost a bond
because his logical thinking became weak from the jealousy and distrust he acquired while at

Devon. Blocking him to see the real enemy. The one in the mirror.

Work Cited

Knowles, John. A Separate Peace. Scribner, 1959